Week after week, I read the letters to the editor in our local paper from both sides of the political aisle. I often wonder what our Founding Fathers would say; what would those who died in wars serving this country think about just how divided this country is right now? I do believe they would say in disgust something like, “What did I die for? I gave up my life to protect the country of my birth and others around the globe, and here, America is close to being on the brink of what could turn into another civil war because we are so obviously divided politically unless something happens to come along and brings us back together.” And for my life, I cannot see what that might be.
Come Together
Other than faith, hope, and prayer, unfortunately, a growing segment of society would make fun of me for suggesting such pie-in-the-sky solutions to the dilemma we face in America today. I do know this: when we all come together, great things will happen to this country and people worldwide. I hope it is not another war.
The Fight for Iwo Jima
Seventy-nine years ago, on February 19, 1945, the United States Marines began a hard-fought, very bloody battle to take the island of Iwo Jima so that island would become a stepping stone for B-28 Super fortresses to begin making bombing runs over Tokyo. It took five weeks and 70,000 men (the most assembled for a single operation) to take that 8 square mile hunk of land. The island contained well-entrenched 22,000 Japanese soldiers, whose orders were to fight to the death, and did so as 21,000 perished.
Fighting Side by Side
The Marines’ victory took a bitter toll. Nearly 7,000 Marines and Navy men died taking that island, and another 20,000 were wounded. When it was all said and done, there was no count of how many Republicans or how many Democrats died in the fighting. Our military won that engagement because all worked together, as they fought from island to island, to win that war. These are valuable lessons as the last of our World War II veterans leave our ranks.
Not Too Much to Ask
Is there anything that presently divides us, as it presently does, that somehow can unify us once again for the betterment of all concerned? God, I hope so, and whatever it might be, happens soon. If we can all agree on anything these days, it would be that it cannot happen soon enough. Or is that even too much to ask?
